of new brunswick



R. WOLFF.

STOP MOTION.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.2B. 1917.

Patented May 27, 1 919 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

R. WOLFF.

STOP MOTION.

APPLICATION man nmzs, 1917..

w; r /W main ear Parisian canton.

RUDOLF WOLFE, OF NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE CRAWFORD MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF NEVI BRUNSVTICK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

STOP-MOTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 27, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUDoLr VOLFF, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New Brunswick, countyof Middlesex, State of New Jersey, have invented certain Improvements in Stop-Motions, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in a stop motion for knitting machines.

The invention relates particularly to the means for actuating the stop motion when an excessive tension is appliedto the thread, or the thread becomes entangled on the bobbin, or is caught in one of the guides.

The object of my invention is to provide means for independently adjusting the tension of each arm through which the stop mo tion is actuated.

By my invention, the several arms which Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation on the line 2-2, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view on the line 33, Fig. 2;

Fig. 1 is an enlarged side view of the tension arm carrier; and

Figs. 5, 6, 7 8 and 9 are detached perspective views of the tension mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is a casing, which, in the present instance, is mounted on the casing 2 in which is located the mechanism, which is directly connected with the means for stopping the knitting machine. This mechanism is of a type such as that illustrated in the patent granted to Frank Crawford, Sr., No. 510,839, Dec. 12, 1893.

Projecting radially from the casing are six arms 3 and depending from each of these arms is a frame 4 having three cross bars 5, and alternating with these cross bars are bars 6 attached to an arm 7, pivoted to a shaft 8, mounted in the casing 2 and connected to the stop motion mechanism. The thread passes between these arms 5 and 6, and as long as the thread is taut the stop motion is kept out of action, but the moment the thread breaks, or a slack occurs, the arm 7 is released and actuates the mechanism, which stops the machine. This is fully described in the above mentioned patent.

Supported by each arm 3 is a shaft 9 hav ing its bearings in the casing and in a block 10 depending from the arm. The outer end of each shaft is in the form of a crank 11 engaging the arm 12 of a forked thread guide 13, pivoted at 1e. On the shaft 9 is a hook 15. The thread passes through the fork in the guide 13 and over the hook 15 and between the bars 5 and 6, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, in which a represents the thread. Ordinarily, an equal tension is applied to all of the shafts 9, or to one half of the shafts, but owing to the fact that there are several numbers of threads passing through the machine, each thread requiring a different tension, it is essential that each shaft 9 shall have its own independent tension mechanism. At the same time, the mechanism should be as compact as possible, owing to the limited space and the necessity of making the device as light as possible.

Secured to a spindle 16, located in the cas ing 1, is a tension arm carrier 17, made as clearly shown in Fig. 1, and having a series of inclined bearings 18 for the shafts 19, each having an arm 20 at the upper end and an arm 21 at the lower end. The arm 20 is made from a piece of wire coiled around the shaft in the manner shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 7, so as to form a hub which rests on the upper end of the bearing 18. At the outer end of the arm 20 is an eye 2 to which one end of a spring 23 is attached, the opposite end of. this spring being attached to an arm 24 on the shaft 9, so that the tendency of the spring is to hold the thread guide 13 in the raised position. The arm 21 onthe lower end ofeach shaft 19 is perforated at 25 for the reception of a rivet 26 on a swivel nut 27, and an adjusting screw 28 extends through the casing and through the opening in the nut so that on turning the screw the nut will travel longitudinally on the screw 28. The screw has a beveled head 29 adapted to a beveled socket in the casing and the spring 23 places a tension on this screw so that it is always held with its head in the socket. It will be readily seen that on adjusting any one of the screws its shaft 19 will place more or less tension on the spring 23, which will place more or less tension on the shaft 9 and its thread guide.,13, so that if a thread be caught in the bobbin, or should a kiiot'ojc'ciir,

the thread will draiv the thread guide 13 doWn, turning the shaft 9 against the pressure of the spring 23, and this movement Will cause the hook 15 to release the thread :0, so that there will be s'ufiicient slack to alloW the lever 7 to move and to actuate the stof mechanism.

t will be noticed that each of the bearings 18 is arranged at an angle so that the several shafts are at an angle to the ver-- tical line, and the springs, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, are also at an angle so that when the springs are extended by adjustment they can freely pass over the adjoining shaft and its arm 24 Without interfering With its own adjustment, or the adjustment of the adjoining spring. By this means, I

- am enabled to locate a number of independent adjusting means, in a very small compass, Without one interfering With another.

While I have shown six arms, it 'Will be understood that the arms may be increased or diminished, according to the type of knitting machine to which the stop motion is applied. Some machines run as high as twelve or sixteen ends, and the stop motion must be made to accommodate varyingnumbers of threads.

I claim:

1. The combination in a stop motion, of a casing having a series of arms; a shaft carried by each arm; a thread guide on each arm and engaged by the shaft; an arm on the inner end of each shaft; a "spring attached to each arm; means arranged {at an angle for independently regulating the tension of each spring, the springs being also arranged at an angle so that one spring will clear an adjoining shaft and its spring when adjusted;

2. The combination in a stop motion, of

a casing; a seriesof arms radiating from the casing; a shaft carried by each arm; a thread guide also carried by each arm and engaged by a shaft; an arm on the inner end of each shaft Withinthe casing; a hook on each shaft over Which the thread passes;

a spindle Within the casing; a carrier .mounted on the spindle; a series of tension devices having aims and mount d at. as single oh the miner; inclepeiidehhspfings connecting each arm of a shaft vvit'h a'tension device; and means for independently adjusting each of said devices.

3. The combination in a stop hio'ti'oi'i, of a casing having a series of radiating arms; a shaft supported by each arm; a thread guide on each arm and ,'ac'tuated-by the shaft; a hook on "each shaft ever which the thread passes, ea h shaft having an arm at its inner end within the casing; a spindle lo'catedwithinth'e casing; a barrier sheared to the spindle within the ca'sing and having diagonal bearings; a shaft in "each bearing having an arm at its upper end; a spring located between said arm and the arm jof the first mentioned shaft; an arm onthe lower end of each diagonal shaft; swivel nut carried by the arm; an adjusting screw mounted in the casing engaging the nut so that, on turning the screw, more or less tension he applied to the spring which controls the tension of the thread guide. 7

4. The combination in a stop motion for knitting machines, of a casing; a series of arms radiating from the casing; a shaft mounted on each said shaft having an arm 0n the oute end and arm on the inner end, the latter arm being Within the casing; a hook intermediate of the said arms over which the thread passes; tripping mechanism for the stop'nibtibn through which the thread passes from the hhok; a spring attached to the inhr arm of each shaft "a fixed carrier Within the casing having diagonal bearings; a shaft mbunted in each bearing and having an arm at each end, one arm being connected to the spring and the "other am having a swivel hat; and a screw extending through the casing and engaging the nut so that, 6h turning the screw, the tension of eachthiead guide can be independently "regulated,

In Witness" whereof I affix 'sigii'a'ture;

BUDOLF WOLFF;

Copies of this patent may be obtained for fiv' cents each; by addressing the (lonimis'sioiier of Patents; Washington, D; 0. 

